7mm-08: Proper barrel length???

[drdougrx]

Hi All,

I have a ruger m-77 ultralite in 243 that shoots like a dog (apologies to your dog if she shoots well...mine doesn't!)  I was going to rebarrel to the same caliber and I thought....since I'm not completely enamored with the 243, why not rebarrel to 7mm-08??  So...what's the proper barrel length??  I really like the handiness of a 20" barrel, 24" is out of the question and 22" can't be all that much better for a 308 length cartridge than a 20".  I'm looking to achieve a lite gun (I plan to use a Brown Precision stock (22oz)) for medium, thin skinned animals at the normal shooting ranges from 0 - 300yards (only if absolutely necessary). Maybe a 140gr bullet for 90% of the hunting.

What do you think???

[GGaskill]

You should consider the 7mm BR Remington if you are looking for a short barreled rifle.  It was designed for the Silhouette XP100 with a 15" barrel so a 20" barrel should give you increased velocity over published figures.  I used it with 150 gr bullets to about 2200 ft/sec from the XP so from a 20" barrel, you should be close to a 7mm-08 (which I have in a long barreled rifle, too) with a short barrel.

Powder charge will be about 75% of 7mm-08.

[Dave in WV]

You might try this guy. He rebores rifle barrels. I've read several posts on another site stating his work is really good and the accuracy was good too.
http://www.cutrifle.com/

[drdougrx]

Thanks guys,

I'll stick with standard cartridges GG

Dave...the muzzel is only .5".  Not enough meat to rebore.

[nomosendero]

Hi All,

I have a ruger m-77 ultralite in 243 that shoots like a dog (apologies to your dog if she shoots well...mine doesn't!)  I was going to rebarrel to the same caliber and I thought....since I'm not completely enamored with the 243, why not rebarrel to 7mm-08??  So...what's the proper barrel length??  I really like the handiness of a 20" barrel, 24" is out of the question and 22" can't be all that much better for a 308 length cartridge than a 20".  I'm looking to achieve a lite gun (I plan to use a Brown Precision stock (22oz)) for medium, thin skinned animals at the normal shooting ranges from 0 - 300yards (only if absolutely necessary). Maybe a 140gr bullet for 90% of the hunting.

What do you think???

quote]

I think the 20"!! For a Tactical/Comp. Tactical application I would look at a 24" heavy, but you are looking at a pure hunting rifle here. And you say that 300 yards if absolutely necessary & of course then you will not be shooting further,
so the additional velocity (minimal in a 7-08) of a longer tube has no relevance at all in this case because any decent 140 will still have more than enough velocity for expansion & energy at 300 yards for medium thin skinned game. That's a good quality for the 308 based rounds down to 260 & up to 358 for that matter, they are quite efficient in 20" tubes. And when you get an 18" or less in tube length the muzzle blast & noise is more than I like. And to me they feel clubby & not as well balanced.

20" is a dang simple choice to me.

[Lazermule]

I have a Ruger M77 youth in 7mm-08 with a 16" barrel and it will hold 6" at 300 yards.  I also have a Tikka in 7mm-08 with a 20" barrel and it will shoot 3" at 300 yards.  Both plenty good for deer and could probably shoot better with a better shooter. The 7mm-08 is a great cartridge.

FLAME SUIT ON:  Get rid of that rabbit gun and step up to the 7mm-08....LOL...I say that to my buddy who shoots a 243....all in good fun...

LAZER

[Graybeard]

I've owned 15" (TC Encore), 18.5" (original Rem M7), 20" (Rem M7) and 22" (both LSS Mtn. Rifle and M7 25th Anniversary).

My preference is 20".

[bubbinator]

My wife shoots a SS Ruger Compact in 7mm-08.  That barrel is the same length as the .243 you have.  It holds about an inch @ 100 yds. off sandbags. Kills deer great too!  Have you thought about letting Ruger look at your rifle?  It may be something they can cure PDQ, they don't want bad guns and mad shooters dissing their rifles.
By the way, what is your rifle doing with what loads?

[drdougrx]

Thanks for all of the great suggestions!!!  GB...thanks again for making the forums available and your wisdom.

Nomo...right on target (as usual!)

Lazer...great shooting...243...well...I've ranted about it before on these forums...I like the cartridge...just not enough I guess.  BTW...I'm looking at a TIKKA Lite in .338 and may also replace the 243 with one of those.

Bubb...I own quite alot of rugers...all of them have been rebarreled (except my #1) as this one will be.  Also, I went and bedded the stock and changed the trigger and on and on.....rather do a rebuilt.

[Lazermule]

Thanks for all of the great suggestions!!!  GB...thanks again for making the forums available and your wisdom.

Nomo...right on target (as usual!)

Lazer...great shooting...243...well...I've ranted about it before on these forums...I like the cartridge...just not enough I guess.  BTW...I'm looking at a TIKKA Lite in .338 and may also replace the 243 with one of those.

Bubb...I own quite alot of rugers...all of them have been rebarreled (except my #1) as this one will be.  Also, I went and bedded the stock and changed the trigger and on and on.....rather do a rebuilt.

Doug,

The Tikka has been a great rifle.  I got mine for a song when Gander Mountain had a sale on them back when they first got them in.  First trip to the range it shot clover leafs.  I was impressed.  I put a Nikon Buckmaster 3-9 on mine and it has been a great combo. 

LAZER

[charles p]

My 7-08 has a 22" stainless fluted barrel.  Shoots very well with 140 Sierra bullets.

[dpe.ahoy]

Remington brought out the Mod. 7 with 18.5" barrel and then offered the 20" in the Stainless.  I have BLR with 20", Handi with 22" and a Savage with 24" and haven't seen a difference in how any of them put down deer.  Have not run any over the Chronograph, but all have taken several deer.  DP

[AtlLaw]

Remington brought out the Mod. 7 with 18.5" barrel... 

That's just what I have.  The way this little 18.5 barreled rifle killed whatever I shot with it changed my whole view of barrel lengths and had an impact on my moving away from the quest for getting the maximum velocity out of a given round!   

[kombi1976]

Definitely 30".
Looks cooler, a bit like a punt gun.
Afterall who cares about balance.
And no, I'm not compensating for anything - well, not very much anyway.........

P.S. 20" to 22" is fine - it isn't a magnum afterall.

[6.5BR]

Standard cartridges?  I am with you, owned a 6mm TCU rifle, 338/06 (pre Saami) rifle, and 7mm TCU TC contender, the rest were Saami cartridges that factory ammo was/is made, INCLUDING the 7mmBR.

I built a "standard 7BR' in a Model 7, 21" bbl, shot 139 SSTs at 2544, 130s @ 2666, and 120s @2878 mv.  BTW, deer did not like it......

Now if you want MORE juice, a 7/08 is fine, but 21" is as short as I want, had 2, but little loud.  If I built a rifle, I'd order a 22-23" tube.  No more wanted, no less.

[Savage_99]

drdogrx,

Its going to be faster and less expensive to sell the gun you have and buy another one!   Its already a 243 and someone will buy it.

Just get a new gun.

As to barrel length I like 22" but you like shorter and thats fine.

[drdougrx]

Hay Savage,

It's an ultralite and it shools aweful and the stock is cracked at the wrist.  I think I'm going to buy a houge stock and try again before I rebarrel.  I have an AR that I owe another several hundred on and about $1300 left in taxidermy. So...my gun fund is kinda tihjt for the next couple of months. 

I'll rebarrel later this spring...unless...the new stock surprises me.